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Heat acclimatization moves football teams closer to kickoff

By Eleanor Bailey almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.Net 5 min read
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By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Football players, like Mt. Lebanon’s Ezra Heidenreich pictured, trade the t-shirts and shorts from summer conditioning workouts for full pads and harder hits on Aug. 7 when the scholastic season starts with heat acclimatization practices.

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Photos: Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Hydration will be a critical component during heat acclimatization practices beginning this week for area football teams. According to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, athletes should drink 16-24 ounces of water within the two hours prior to training. Ten to 20 minutes prior to exercise consume another 7-10 fl.oz. of water. During exercise, all athletes should consume 6-12 ounces every 10-20 throughout training. After activities replenish lost fluids with 16-24 ounces of water.

Mike Collodi, like any high school football coach, is pumped because the season officially kicks off this week with the WPIAL’s mandated heat acclimatization program.

“Honestly, it’s the best time of the year,” he said. “We get to go out and do what we love now.”

Since the beginning of the year, teams have religiously worked out in the weight room, conditioned and attended camps and 7-on-7 drills with helmets and shoulder pads. On Aug. 7, however, squads strap on all of the equipment.

“From January to August, it gets monotonous. Redundant,” stressed Collodi. “These is what you train for and it’s finally here.”

TJ Plack agreed. He enters his eighth year at Peters Township High School.

“The offseason is a grind. You are spinning your wheels,” he said. “As football coaches, we’re ready to start game planning and the kids want to get on the field and make plays. We’re excited to get started.”

After being hired to replace Bob Palko, Collodi starts his first year at the helm at Mt. Lebanon. Previously, he coached eight seasons at Elizabeth-Forward, where he amassed a 56-24 overall record, completed with six playoff appearances. In 2020, he guided the Warriors to an 8-1 record that included a runner-up showing in the WPIAL Class 3A title game.

At EF and at Lebo, Collodi has allowed only helmets to be worn during summer drills. He says there is plenty of time for more gear. Plus, he doesn’t want to worry about burning his players out. He likes the acclimatization aspect of training camp.

“It’s a good transition for the guys,” he said. “It eases them into the whole full pads thing.”

Noting that equipment has gotten smaller and highly-technical with advancements, Plack said that getting players “acclimated” to having pads on again is “good” because it’s something they are accustomed to since youth football.

Plack also sees the value in the adjustment period, particularly for students who have been “on the fence” about playing football or participating in a fall sport.

Plack cited the Casilli brothers as an example. Zach was a senior and Josh was in incoming freshman. He is currently in his senior season at Penn. Neither participated in summer football drills or weight room lifting but they showed up for the first day of practice.

“When I first got the job, I heard about them but was told they were burnt out from competing in track, basketball and football. I sure was glad they came out.”

Plack noted that summer practices or weight room training at most schools are not mandatory. While some athletes are busy participating in AAU sports such as basketball, volleyball and baseball, most often attend these voluntary sessions.

“Those guys are still active,” he noted. “For the ones that don’t show up all summer and the kids on the fence, then heat acclimatization is good. Any practices, makes you better and any time, you can keep kids off the phone and out of trouble, that’s a plus, too.”

The sessions are especially good for coaches because there is 100 percent attendance. Heat acclimatization is mandatory and most players have all arrived back from vacations.

“There’s a lot to install,” Plack said. “We can teach more technique and some of the finer points of football before you really start to hit. As coaches, for us, it is most important because we are trying to put kids in the right spots.”

The first official practice is Aug. 14 with the first scrimmage set for Aug. 19. Teams can participate in a second scrimmage or play a “Week 0” game Aug. 25.

After a scrimmage at Montour on Aug. 19, Peters Township kicks off the 2023 campaign at 7 p.m. Aug. 25 against Fox Chapel at Confluence Financial Partners Stadium. The Indians also play at home against Seneca Valley on Sept. 1 and at Trinity on Sept. 8 before opening up conference action at South Fayette at 7 p.m. on Sept. 15.

With a veteran club, the Indians anticipate making a postseason run after missing the playoffs last season. Peters Township finished 3-2 in the conference and 6-4 overall in 2022.

Mt. Lebanon officially begins its football season with its seventh annual kickoff celebration to be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 12 at the stadium. Special recognition will be given to the seniors and all those who participate in the football program from youth players, to cheerleaders, to band members will participate in the event that will include games, food vendors and music.

The Blue Devils play their first scrimmage at 10 a.m. Aug. 19 at Pine-Richland, which is the defending WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A champions. They open the 2023 schedule at home against Gateway on Aug. 25 and then visit neighboring Bethel Park on Sept. 1.

The Black Hawks, who were WPIAL Class 5 A semifinalists and conference champions in 2022, scrimmage in Erie against McDowell on Aug. 19 and visit North Hills at 7 p.m. on Aug. 25.

Upper St. Clair, which was the WPIAL Class 5A runner-up in 2022, will host Chartiers Valley at 10 a.m. Aug. 19 in a scrimmage before hosting Norwin at 7 p.m. Aug. 25 in Week Zero action. The Panthers also host North Hills on Sept. 1 before opening conference action on the road at Baldwin at 7 p.m. Sept. 8.

The Colts are the opener for South Fayette on Aug. 25. Before the Lions visit CV, they scrimmage Woodland Hills on Aug. 19 at 10 a.m.

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